ARLA Propertymark and a number of other property industry bodies wants Housing Secretary Angela Rayner to regulate letting and sales agents.

An open letter has been sent to Rayner by the British Property Federation, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the Federation of Private Residents Association, The Property Institute and Propertymark.

Here it is in full:

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Dear Secretary of State,

Re: Regulation of Property Agents

Firstly, many congratulations from our sector on your appointment to this crucial role.  We are particularly pleased to see you in this post as we share with you a deep commitment to good, safe homes across all tenures, well built and managed, effectively sold or let, with the interests of residents central to every decision affecting them.

As you know, housing is a key part of our nation’s core infrastructure. Good housing improves lives, with better outcomes in physical and mental health, social cohesion, children’s education, crime rates and the wider economy. Whereas poor quality housing harms the economy, our health, social and education services and the sense of a just society.

We the undersigned share the objective of raising standards across the residential housing sector to improve the living environment and experience of homeowners, tenants and residents.

Within this overarching aim, we are calling on the new Government to:

·      set standards for those working in the residential agency sector, through a Code of Practice;

·      introduce mandatory qualifications and competence standards; and

·      ensure individuals and firms raise service standards through the introduction of regulation of property agents to the above code of conduct and in line with the principles of better regulation.

This is consistent with the outcomes sought by Lord Best and his Working Group, whose report provides a considered framework ready to be translated into legislation. Professional bodies have long called for and we stand ready to deliver effective regulation in the sector.

We would therefore welcome an early roundtable meeting with you to discuss the new government’s proposals, and your willingness to legislate which would have wide support – including from the Opposition which, in government, declared it had only failed to act due to the lack of parliamentary time.

We look forward to hearing from you, and hopefully meeting you and your team as soon as your diary permits.